


Waves

by tunamayo



Category: Free!
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:40:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25566046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tunamayo/pseuds/tunamayo
Summary: Haru and Makoto face the feelings they've been developing for so long and begin dating just in time for Haru’s birthday. Makoto plans to take him somewhere special to celebrate.
Relationships: Nanase Haruka/Tachibana Makoto
Comments: 33
Kudos: 93





	1. Chapter 1

A small patch of sunshine suddenly appears on the wall beside Haru, catching his eye and pulling him away from his textbook. He turns his head to the projected shadows dancing there, silhouettes of leaves rustling outside in the breeze. If he concentrates, he thinks he can hear them waving in the wind.

He looks over in the opposite direction toward the source of the light and is distracted by a man sitting on a nearby padded bench. The man pushes up his glasses and smiles while petting one of the many cats in the cafe, the book that he brought sitting neglected beside him. Haru wonders if the man really had any intention of reading that book.

It seems like the kind of thing Makoto would do, doesn’t it? Haru smiles picturing him there, years into the future. Maybe he stops for a little bit on the way home from an errand. The cats will know him well by then. They’ll look forward to his visit, reciprocating Makoto’s soft words of praise with tiny meows and humming purrs. And for some inexplicable reason, Haru’s mind conjures the idea that Makoto calls him to say that he’ll be home soon. He blushes without even realizing it.

Buzzing cicadas grab Haru’s attention from his silly imagination to the big window behind Makoto, who’s seated across from him with a look of determination as he types on his laptop. Just outside the window is a huge tree with leaves that flutter on lightly swaying branches. The wind is getting heavier, louder. He can hear it more clearly, but it doesn’t bother him.

Haru then adjusts his gaze to settle on Makoto. The sun outside glows warmly, bathing him in its soft light. Although no sunlight touches him, Haru swears he can feel the warmth inside of him, can feel the gentle breeze, and can even detect the sound of the sea, though it’s much too far away for that to be possible at all.

He smiles, noticing that the air around him feels especially light today.

A small white cat lies down beside Makoto, the cutest interruption to his focus. She’s one that always seems to be drawn to him and even allows him to pick her up. He pets the cat and then types a little more, pets and types, repeating this a few times before giving in completely to dangle a catnip mouse in front of her adorable little face. He does his best not to be disruptive, keeping his exuberance to quiet giggles.

This cat cafe had become one of their favorite places to study together. It definitely didn't seem like the ideal work environment, but through trial and error, they had discovered that late afternoon was a good time to come. It was quiet then, though not completely silent, and the sounds that did exist usually came together in harmony.

A few months ago, when they had first come here, they discovered this small table for two in the back corner. There were tables spread throughout the cafe, but this one was a bit more secluded from the rest. Makoto had suggested they bring their homework, and thus began the routine visits, usually a couple times a month.

In the beginning of their time in Tokyo, study sessions were often spent with other friends at the library or at Haru’s apartment, but gradually, the two of them had split off. That's how it always was, even as little kids. They'd be playing with a group, and somehow Makoto and Haru would find themselves naturally on their own.

There was something undeniably comforting about being alone with Makoto, even more freeing than Haru felt being by himself. It had taken him a long time to notice that, let alone acknowledge it, though he suspected he always knew it. Acknowledging it led to a search for reasons why, an explanation that went beyond because _Makoto is my childhood best friend_.

Over the last few months in particular, Haru was doing his best to try and admit that he recognized something more that Makoto could give him, something he wanted and was ready to accept. These feelings came and went in slow waves, an ebb and flow at the edges of his heart and his mind, though lately they seemed to be overflowing.

He continues to watch Makoto play with the cat, his pulse quickening as though the wind outside had somehow gotten inside his chest and caused a disturbance. But Haru knows it’s his wandering mind that unsettled things; this is what always happens when he starts to imagine thoughts that are better off staying in the depths of his heart.

Maybe because he knows he’s being watched, or maybe just to check on Haru, Makoto directs his attention across the table and makes eye contact.

Haru immediately blushes, feeling as though he's been caught staring, which admittedly he was. "Did you come here to write your essay or to play with the cats?" he asks, deflecting.

Makoto closes his laptop and laughs. "I'm finished! It looks like you're the one who's distracted."

It's true; he had let his mind wander much more than he intended. Haru looks to the side and closes his textbook. "It's not due till next week, anyway," he says, busying himself with a black cat who has spotted Haru's open lap as an invitation to curl up and sleep.

“You should definitely finish it before your birthday.”

Haru narrows his eyes. “Why, what are you scheming?”

“Nothing! I mean, just... I’m coming over to celebrate, right?”

They hadn’t discussed it, but Makoto had always been by Haru’s side for his birthday, so it went without saying. “Oh. Right.”

"Maybe I'll get another chocolate milk before we leave. Do you want anything?"

Haru checks his phone. "No, I’m ok. You should probably get it on the way out, though, before we get charged for another hour."

"Is it that late already?" Makoto asks, confirming with his own phone. "I have some time before I need to go meet my classmate. Can I come over for a little bit?"

"Sure.”

Makoto smiles; a lot has changed since the two of them moved to Tokyo, but he's thankful for the things that have remained the same, most importantly being able to spend so much time with Haru. Even if it’s just sitting on his bed reading while Haru washes dishes, even if they don’t exchange many words at all, it’s just nice to be in his presence.

But as happy as he is that things are the same, Makoto can’t ignore his hopes for something different—more specifically, for something more. He doesn’t really know what he wants, but as they get older, shouldn’t their relationship progress, too? Everything with Haru has always come naturally, so it seems wrong to push too much.

His heart aches; he knows he’s relying too much on the assumption that Haru feels the same as him, but the alternative seem improbable, impossible—or maybe just unbearable. As Haru gathers his things, his eyes catch Makoto’s, and he gives a small smile. Makoto returns it, feeling at ease again. As long as he can stay together with Haru like this, maybe that’s enough after all.

They finish packing up their bags, giving the nearby cats some final pats and scratches, and make their way to the register. Beside the counter is a tall shelf filled with cat stuffed animals of all different breeds and colors.

"Ah, this wasn't here before, was it?" Makoto asks, thinking aloud. "This sign says all sales go toward helping cats in shelters. That’s really nice. Oh, did I tell you my neighbor just adopted another cat?"

"Really?”

"Mm, she likes to sit in front of the window. The cat, not my neighbor." Makoto picks up a stuffed calico. "I wish I could get one. A real one, I mean. But I have a hard enough time taking care of just myself."

Haru feels a lump in his throat. It doesn’t happen often, but every now and then Makoto will casually, likely accidentally, reveal an insecurity about himself in a passive way. Being on his own is hard. Unlike Haru, Makoto never really had to take care of himself until now. And even though he sometimes burnt the toast or shrunk his sweaters in the dryer, Haru thought he was doing just fine.

"You’re too busy for a cat,” Haru replies in an effort to divert his attention to something more innocuous. It’s true, after all. “And you spend too much time at my place, so there would be no point,” he adds, feeling like an idiot as soon as the words leave his mouth. The playful jab hadn’t come out at all like he had intended.

Before Haru can gauge Makoto’s reaction, it's their turn at the register, so Makoto puts the toy back on the shelf and gets his wallet out. They always take turns paying, and this time it's Makoto's.

Haru reaches over and grabs one of the stuffed cats off the shelf, a black one with light blue eyes and floppy legs. "This too," he says to the cashier. It’s a hasty decision, but a necessary one.

"Haru—"

"I'll pay this time."

"It's my turn! I had four drinks!”

Haru gets out his wallet and counts the money. "Well, I'm buying this, so it evens out, doesn't it?"

Makoto laughs, not quite sure what just happened. Haru seems to be acting a little weird all of a sudden, but it's no use arguing with him. He stays quiet while the transaction is completed and watches Haru gently put the stuffed animal into his bag. Maybe it will come up later.  
  


* * * * *

  
Back at Haru’s apartment, Makoto sits on the bed and sets the timer on his phone so he isn’t late to meet his classmate. Then he pulls out his video game and loads the latest installment from the Deep Sea Crossing franchise. It’s always been one of Haru’s favorite games, and they play it often when they hang out together.

While Makoto plays, Haru tidies up, sneaking glances at him whenever he gets a chance. Makoto always gets an intense look on his face no matter what he’s playing. It’s a simple game with no real objective—the player simply lives in a town full of sea creatures, whom they can interact with. By looking at Makoto, you’d think he was solving a complicated puzzle instead of just running around the ocean floor looking for his favorite creature to talk to.

Every now and then his face softens into a small smile, and Haru knows one of his creatures has just said some sort of cute dialogue or given him a silly gift.

Seeing Makoto like this takes Haru back to middle school. Though it doesn’t bother him much anymore, he still remembers what it felt like to come home to an empty house time and time again. He understood that his parents had to work, but he always hated it. It was nice, then, when Makoto didn’t have to go straight home after school. They could go up to Haru’s room and do homework or play video games together. Even if Haru had chores to do, Makoto would say he didn’t mind and watch TV or sit on the back porch while Haru did whatever he needed to do. Just knowing he wasn’t alone in the house, just feeling Makoto’s presence—back then and even now, that’s all he needed.

Once again, perhaps because he can feel Haru’s eyes on him, Makoto looks up and smiles when he meets Haru’s gaze. “I’ve been rearranging the houses in my town to group everyone closer together.”

“Oh, I’ll have to come visit and see,” he says, referring to the ability to travel to your friends’ towns via submarine.

“I’m planting seaweed around the houses, too, depending on what everyone’s favorite color is. Do you have the purple kind with the black stripes?"

“I think so. I’ll bring it when I come to your town.”

Makoto thanks him and returns his attention to the game. Haru’s heart feels suddenly heavy. He can’t stop thinking about what he said to Makoto at the cat cafe, even though Makoto seems completely unaffected by it. Of course, one thing Makoto excels at is pretending like nothing is wrong. Usually Haru can see through him, but maybe not this time.

Haru can’t stand it anymore. It’s not like there’s going to be a less embarrassing time to do this. He goes to his bag and gets out the stuffed cat he bought at the cafe. He tosses it to Makoto, intentionally interrupting his gameplay.

“Eh?” Makoto sets his game down and picks up the cat, giving a small laugh. “What’s this?”

Haru blushes but maintains eye contact. “It’s for you. Since you can’t have a real one of your own. Since you spend a lot of time here. Which is fine…” He finally looks away, unable to bear it any longer.

Makoto laughs even quieter this time. Ah, it’s just as he thought. Haru had been acting a little weird ever since they were in line to check out. Well, ever since he told Makoto he spends too much time at Haru’s place. It turns out that Haru had felt stung by his own words.

“Haru, thank you,” Makoto smiles, pleased when Haru looks at him again just in time to see it. He knows his smile will ease his worries.

Haru sighs, relieved. “I didn’t mean what I said. I didn’t mean for it to sound like it did, you know.”

“I know that.”

Makoto is reminded of when they were kids, how Haru would sometimes walk more slowly going home from school, or how he’d linger at the stairs, or suggest they go look for fish in the river. He was stalling as much as he could, filling up the time until his mom would get home from work.

Makoto didn’t mind; it was just the opposite, really. He enjoyed Haru’s company more than anything else, and he was glad he could be there for him. He’d invite Haru over, too, if he had to get home right away, but Haru would usually decline. It seemed he wanted to go home, just not to an empty house. Back then and even now, he knows Haru appreciates their time together.

Haru grabs his game off the table and sits next to Makoto, stretching out his legs so he can sit close to him, though careful not to let their legs touch. “I’m glad you’re here.” He says it easily, in one exhale, in a single heartbeat.

Makoto smiles and starts to speak. _You can tell me if you’re busy, if you don’t time for me to be here,_ he wants to say. But it’s not necessary, and it’s best to leave the moment as it is, with Haru’s words resonating within both of them.

Haru waits a moment before continuing. “Also… don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Oh. The other thing Makoto said at the cat cafe, about not being able to take care of himself. Did something like that really bother Haru? He smiles at his video game. “Right. Thanks, Haru.”

“Did you name her?” he asks, trying to get things between them back to normal.

Makoto laughs and picks up the stuffed cat. “I haven’t had time to think of a name… well, she looks kind of like you, doesn’t she?”

Haru scowls. “You’re not naming her after me.”

“I was joking,” Makoto lies, smiling. “Hmm, how about Sumi-chan, after your favorite character in the game?”

Haru smiles; Sumi is a cute yellow optimistic squid who actually kind of reminds him of Makoto. “That’s a good name.” Just as Haru looks back down at his game, the screen goes black. “Oh… I guess I didn’t charge it.”

“Ah, here, you can just watch my screen.”

Makoto uncrosses his legs and stretches them out, scooting closer toward Haru until their shoulders touch. The small physical contact is enough to make his heart race, and he hopes that Haru doesn’t notice the blush on his face.

Things are definitely not back to normal, Haru thinks when he feels Makoto’s shoulder against his own and immediately blushes.

But maybe that’s ok.

For a moment, he allows things to unravel. He hears the clicking of the buttons and the ticking of his clock, birds chirping and the beating of his heart. Pulling everything together is the intermittent sound of their voices, and though they’re not saying anything important, this moment is far from trivial.

It's a quiet sort of quiet, where the background noise stays in the background and somehow doesn’t seem noisy at all. That’s how it always is when he’s with Makoto.

There's no discomfort, no tension between them. Everything seems to be exactly as it should be, even though things are as they never have been before.

Makoto’s phone suddenly buzzes beside him, rudely cutting through the calm atmosphere.

“Time to go?” Haru asks, trying not to sound as disappointed as he feels. He could stay like this for so much longer.

“I don’t have to leave right this second…”

Good, Haru thinks. “Ok,” is all he says.

Makoto puts his phone back down. He really should leave right this second, but he wants to sit like this for as long as time will allow.

Haru expects Makoto to pick up his game again, but he doesn’t. He expects him to say something, to fill the space with his voice like he’s so good at doing. But he doesn’t do that either. He turns his head a little to glance up at him.

Makoto looks over at him, too, and they can both tell that the other isn’t exactly surprised by everything they're feeling in this moment. It’s a relief almost, an exhale, a thought of _Ah, this is it; it’s happening_. Haru’s thankful he doesn’t have a chance to overthink things. Makoto smiles that warm familiar smile, and everything is just as it was destined to become.

The clock beside them is tick-tick-ticking rhythmically with the thump-thump-thumping of Haru’s heart.

When he feels Makoto’s hand over his own, Haru smiles back. If that was all that would have happened in this moment, he thinks he’d have been content. The start of a new beginning, a step in the right direction, to be continued later.

But Makoto lowers his head, and Haru closes his eyes, knowing what’s coming.

And it’s silent. A silent sort of silent, the kind that doesn’t really exist, the kind that Haru’s never experienced even when being submerged underwater. But in this moment it does, like the world is standing still just for them.

Makoto’s lips are soft. That’s the first thing Haru thinks. He’ll refuse to admit he ever thought about kissing Makoto, yet somehow this is just as he expected. They stay like that, neither of them sure what else to do. Makoto pulls back and softly brings their lips together again.

Before the embarrassment can set in too much, Makoto pulls back and smiles, or maybe he had been smiling the whole time. Haru turns his hand over, watching as his and Makoto’s fingers intertwine; a wonderful warmth that starts between their palms radiates throughout him.

It’s not just the air that feels light. Haru himself feels like he's floating on his back in the peaceful ocean, with the sun’s rays reflecting off the water's surface as small waves gently move them. Makoto lies next to him, the two easily staying afloat, just existing together.

The quiet slowly returns, falling softly on Haru’s ears.

“I’m really happy, Haru,” Makoto says, honestly and heartfelt.

Haru’s amazed at the way Makoto’s voice seems to complement the quiet, gently nudging it aside to fit itself in. It’s not overbearing, and it doesn’t disturb. It sits and calmly bares itself.

“Thank you…” Haru replies, feeling foolish for the strange response. He looks back at Makoto.

Makoto laughs in understanding. He knows Haru isn’t thanking him for the kiss itself. One of them had to act, lest the moment slip away. Makoto had realized that subconsciously; maybe he had been afraid that another moment as perfect as this would never come. “One of us had to do something, right?”

“It had to be you. I couldn’t have done it.”

“The way you were looking at me, I could tell it was ok. So thanks for that.”

“Also,” Haru continues as he rests his head against Makoto’s shoulder, “I’m really happy, too."

Makoto tightens his grip a little, an apologetic squeeze. “I don’t want to leave, but my classmate is really helping me out by letting me compare our notes.”

Haru wants to stay like this a little longer—a lot longer, actually, but he can’t be too greedy. He’s just thankful that Makoto waited as long as he could. “You can come back over after, if you want.”

“Really? You’re sure I don’t spend too much time here?”

Haru smiles. “Shut up…”

Another middle school memory comes to Haru’s mind. Makoto had to leave early for a dentist appointment, but it was close enough to the end of the day that he didn’t come back to school. When Haru got home, he said a small _I’m home_ as he usually did to absolutely no one. So he was surprised when no one was actually someone, and Makoto called out from the kitchen with a boisterous _Welcome home, Haru-chan!_

Haru had rushed to the kitchen as Makoto proudly presented an after-school snack—some pretzels with sliced strawberries.

“You cut those yourself?” he asked.

Makoto held up a bandaged finger and smiled. “I did!”

At that moment, Haru thought how wonderful it was to hear Makoto welcome him home. Something like that might be the best sound of all.

Haru’s brought back to the present when he feels Makoto release his hand. They reluctantly move to the edge of the bed together.

Makoto reaches over to grab the stuffed cat and places it in Haru’s lap. “Will you watch Sumi-chan for me while I’m gone?”

“Sure,” Haru smiles.

“Oh! We should do something special for your birthday next week.”

“Special how?” Haru asks, starting to get nervous. Aren’t things moving too fast?!

Makoto stutters a bit, realizing how that must have sounded. “I just mean something like a first date. I’ll take you somewhere nice.”

Being fussed over seems embarrassing… but Makoto is excited about it, as evidenced by his wide grin and sparkling green eyes, so Haru is willing to try and play along. “Sure. It better be really nice.”

“Ok!” Makoto laughs. “Then, I’ll see you later.”

Haru’s not sure what to do. Usually Makoto would just see himself out, but things are a little different now. He walks Makoto to the door. “Right. See you later.”

“See you later,” Makoto replies.

“You already said that.”

“Oh, I did.” Makoto chuckles, embarrassed. It seems awkward to leave with that being the last thing they said, but he definitely can’t say _See you later_ a third time! Instead, he turns to give Haru a hug.

Haru honestly can’t remember the last time they shared a hug, just the two of them, but he’s sure it didn’t feel as nice as this does now. He tries not to focus on the feeling of Makoto’s chest pressed against his, of the scent of Makoto’s cologne that’s becoming all too familiar, of the warmth that’s spreading from his chest up to his face and all throughout his body.

But before he can even contemplate wrapping his own arms around Makoto’s back, Makoto pulls away, his face completely reddened. It’s really, really cute. And before he can say anything, Makoto is already turning to leave.

“See you later!” he calls out for the third time as he quickly walks away feeling like the biggest idiot.

Haru watches him disappear. “Idiot,” he whispers under his breath, smiling even after he can’t see him anymore, half expecting and half hoping that he might turn around and kiss him again.

Finally giving up, he closes the door, smile persisting.  
  


* * * * *

  
Makoto’s stomach growls as he hurries back to the train station, eager not only for food but also to see Haru again. He hopes his classmate couldn’t tell how unfocused he was, but there was too much going on in his head. He and Haru hadn’t had time to properly handle the welcomed consequences of what happened between them, and his mind was a mix of elation and nervousness. If only they could have sat together a little longer, held hands a little tighter, kissed a little more.

It’s dark now, and despite his hurry, Makoto takes a moment to stare in the direction of the sea. He’s a little too far away, but he knows if he gets closer to the beach, he’ll be able to see the stars. It was a while ago when he discovered that place, on the way home from meeting with the same classmate. It’s a place where he took Haru and Rin, where they talked about their dreams together.

He smiles fondly at that memory of the three of them. He wonders what Rin will say when they tell him that they’re dating now. He laughs, thinking that maybe the three of them should go back to that beach to tell him about it. He’ll have to find out when Rin is coming back to Tokyo.

He might be tempted to stop there for a bit if not for the even greater temptation of seeing Haru again, so Makoto continues on, glancing at the shops he passes. It’s been a while now since he was in this part of town, and he stops suddenly in front of one of the restaurants.

“MIYAKE” the sign reads in a simple font, its letters lit up in a soft white. Miyake… it sounds familiar, but he’s not sure why. Is it the name of someone he knows? He quietly repeats it aloud a few times and suddenly sees the image of Haru’s teammate. That’s right, he took his girlfriend to this restaurant for Valentine’s Day and talked highly of the place.

Makoto had gone home and immediately looked it up, simply out of curiosity. Right, it had absolutely nothing to do with the way Haru’s face had lit up when his teammate mentioned the delicious mackerel special. The restaurant was so fancy, he couldn’t even find the prices online, though the reviewers all mentioned it was worth the ridiculous price.

He looks around, nervous for some reason, as though it’s too obvious he can’t afford to eat here, and approaches the big wooden door. There’s a typed note on it—even the note is fancy in its contrasting wooden frame. At the top it has the dates June 28-July 5. Under that are the words “Celebrate your anniversary with our one-year anniversary.”

And what really gets Makoto’s attention is the last part: “Couples eat two for the price of one all week. Reservations now being accepted. Inquire inside.”

Ah! This was a sign—literally, framed and everything! He had to bring Haru here for his birthday. He did say to take him somewhere nice. Of course, there’s a chance they’re mostly booked up, but Makoto feels that he has luck on his side today, so he walks inside with the confidence of the richest man in the world.

As soon as he steps through the door, though, he expects alarms to go off, alerting everyone in the vicinity that he is just a poor college student and does not belong in such a regal establishment. The ceilings are ridiculously high, his footsteps echoing much louder than he would like. And the lights are dim—with all the money this place charges, you would think they could afford better lighting! No, it’s probably intentional, right? Mood lighting, or something like that.

He contemplates turning right around and walking back outside, but the woman at the desk looks up and smiles enthusiastically.

“Ah, hello!” Makoto says, his voice joining his footsteps in the echoes. He lowers it, realizing that this is a place where you should probably speak quietly. “I was wondering about the sign on the door.”

The woman smiles. She looks way too excited about it. “Oh, yes! We don’t have many spots left for next week. What day were you wondering about?”

Makoto remains confident in the universe. “The 30th.” And then because it all seems too good to be true, he has to confirm. “Is it really two for the price of one? I’ve been wanting to come here for a while, but I’m a student, so I only have a part-time job…”

The lady smiles even wider. Her excitement is contagious, and Makoto’s heart starts to race.

“Yes! This is the perfect opportunity, then! Let’s see… we have availability! Lunch or dinner? Lunch comes with a cheese appetizer but dinner comes with a free slice of our famous chocolate cake.”

Chocolate cake! Famous even! Thank you, universe! He tries to keep his composure. “Chocolate cake, please. I mean, dinner!”

The woman seems thankfully unfazed by Makoto’s slip-up and keeps her attention on the computer in front of her. As requested, Makoto passes along his name and contact information, but when she asks the last question, his mind goes blank.

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” he asks.

“The name of your date and the what you’re celebrating, please. You’ll receive a special card commemorating the event!"

Makoto laughs nervously. It still seems strange to think that he and Haru are dating. “I see. You can put down Haruka. No, Haru. No! Haruka.” He considers a moment. Haru-chan? Definitely not! “And we’re celebrating Haruka’s birthday.”

“Did you two meet at your university? Or maybe your job!”

It’s a little rude to ask, isn’t it?! But now it would be rude not to answer. “We’re actually childhood best friends. We grew up together in a small town.”

The woman returns her attention fully to Makoto. “How sweet! And you moved to the big city together. Amazing… you two must really be in love.”

There goes Makoto’s nervous laughter again. Somehow, he just knows he and Haru are about to become the center of some gossip in this woman’s life.

“Well, Tachibana-san, you and Haruka are all set. Please call us if you have any questions.”

Makoto quietly thanks her and walks away as quickly as he can without running. That was a bit traumatizing, but he and Haruka—Haru!—are going to have their first date.

When he gets outside, the fresh air saves him just as he feels like he’s going to pass out from the embarrassment. He takes a moment to calm down and… well, he actually feels kind of excited.

Maybe it’s silly, but he’s proud, too. Since moving to Tokyo and being on his own, he’s reminded how young he still is. Or rather, how young he seems compared to some of the other people he knows around his age. Being alone for the first time has made him realize how hard it is to be an adult.

But when he thinks about the kind of people who must come to a restaurant like this, he pictures mature couples, people who don’t accidentally put their phones in the refrigerator and leave burn marks on newly ironed clothes. Mature couples who know all about things like love and relationships and taxes.

He continues on to the train station, when suddenly his phone starts to ring. Makoto smiles when he sees who’s calling.

He answers at once. “Ah, I’m at the station, so I’ll be there soon.”

“Ok, I figured you must be hungry. I was going to get something so it’ll be ready when you get back.”

Makoto smiles at Haru’s thoughtfulness. Even if they weren’t dating, it’s the kind of thing that would make him smile. “I’m starving! Thanks, Haru.”

“Sure.”

“Also, your birthday is all set.”

“Oh?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Oh.”

Makoto laughs. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing weird! I’ll see you in a little bit!”

“Ah, see you.”

Makoto ends the call and thinks about what the woman said. _You two must really be in love._ Is it ok to wonder about something like that? Normally, it would be way too soon in the relationship. But he and Haru have been together for so long… well, of course he loves him. He has for as long as he can remember. But when does that love become this different kind of love that people in relationships feel for each other? His heart aches, a bit confused.

As Makoto gets on the train, his phone buzzes. It’s a text from Haru. He opens it quickly and laughs when he sees the picture he sent of the stuffed cat sitting on the bed. Haru sends a follow-up text: _She misses you, so hurry up._

His heart aches again, in a good way this time. He bites his lip to keep from smiling too maniacally in public. It’s cute, isn’t it? It’s really cute! He wants to show every person on the train. Look what my boyfriend just sent me!

I love him, Makoto thinks with certainty. I absolutely love him—it’s as simple as that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for taking the time to read this! even though it's really late, i’m happy i was able to get it out at all! part two shouldn’t take too, too...too long to finish! (spoilers: kisumi makes an appearance lol)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto takes Haru out to dinner for his birthday, which also happens to be their first date. But when things don't go quite as expected, a last minute change in plans is just what the two of them need.

Haru can't stop looking at himself in the mirror.

It has nothing to do with being vain, unless wanting Makoto to like how he looks in his date attire falls under that definition. He can practically hear the imminent praise. _Wow, Haru-chan! You look amazing!_ or something embarrassing like that.

While Haru waits for Makoto to arrive and burden him with compliments—though he does have to reluctantly admit that maybe he might be a little disappointed if his boyfriend were to have no reaction at all—he's lost track of how many times he's gotten up from his desk to go check his reflection in the bathroom.

Is the tie too much? Did he miss any spots when he was ironing? It was better with the tie on, right? Why won't this piece of hair stay down?!

Haru sighs and decisively removes the tie, going so far as to even unbutton the top button of his navy blue dress shirt. He nods once at his reflection, convincing himself it's a gesture of satisfaction rather than submission, and turns off the bathroom light one final time before sitting on his bed to continue waiting.

At first, Haru thought this strange restlessness was a result of being nervous. When Makoto revealed that he had reserved a fancy dinner for the two of them, Haru nearly objected. Aside from the surely outrageous cost, it was also something neither of them had ever done before; a new experience coupled with their new relationship might be too much new to handle all at once.

But as he sits here staring in the direction of the door, he realizes that more than anything, he's excited. It's a strange feeling, excitement. It makes his insides flutter and his mind race with unprompted thoughts, and he finds himself smiling at inconvenient moments, like when he's trying to sleep and he suddenly thinks about Makoto not doing anything in particular, just appearing in his mind.

In the end, Haru of course trusted Makoto and his plans; he had seemed surprisingly confident about their date, giving Haru assurance that everything, no matter how unexpected it might seem, would be under control. It also made Haru realize that since moving to Tokyo and being on his own for the first time, Makoto had become more self-sufficient and more like an adult. And as his heart reminds him periodically with it's quickened thumps, Haru finds this incredibly—no, he refuses to use the word _sexy_ —alluring? That's not much better, but it will have to do.

 _Please hurry and get here,_ Haru pleads silently. _It's not safe being alone with my thoughts like this._

Thankfully, before too long, a light knock at the door before it opens means that Makoto has arrived. Haru stands up immediately and smooths his dark gray pants one more time, walking over to meet him.

“Ah, Haru! You look really good!” Makoto blushes and refrains from asking Haru to spin around for him so he can get the full view. It’s difficult to say things like this without his face revealing just how difficult it is. But it’s true. There’s an elegance to his appearance, a maturity, a—no, don’t think a word like _sexiness_!

Haru smiles, watching as Makoto’s blush spreads all the way to his ears. His own face is warm, too, and there’s no way he can tell Makoto that he also looks good in his clothes. But he does look really, really good. The lightweight gray cardigan and the green plaid button-up shirt underneath both look brand new. Haru doesn’t recognize the black pants, either, and he would have definitely remembered the existence of pants that fit him that incredibly well.

He wonders what the other passengers on the train thought when they saw him. A little bit of annoyance creeps in when he realizes strangers got to see this outfit’s debut before Haru did. And they probably thought about how handsome he was. _Do you think that guy’s a model?_ they’d whisper to each other. Did they take pictures of him? Is he going to show up on someone’s social media?!

Before Haru can get lost in his imagination’s jealousy, Makoto steps closer and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Happy Birthday, Haru-chan,” he says, reaching out to try and fix an unruly piece of Haru’s hair.

“It won’t stay down,” he says, gently swatting away Makoto’s hand, half expecting him to also try and fasten the top button of Haru’s shirt.

But instead, Makoto just laughs and kisses him softly, on the forehead this time, and all of Haru’s worries disappear. He looks into Makoto’s sincere green eyes, at the blush tumbling down his nose across his cheeks, and to that beautiful natural smile, and he knows that everything is fine. 

He wishes Makoto would stand there for just a minute longer, but he’s already turning to grab the overnight bag he brought. Haru watches as he pulls out a stuffed white cat with a big blue ribbon tied around its neck. It’s just like the one that Haru bought for him at the cat cafe. 

Makoto holds it out for Haru to take. “I thought you could use your own pet. Well, I always think of you when I look at Sumi-chan, so maybe you can think of me when you look at this.”

Haru smiles and takes the stuffed animal. It’s a little silly, but incredibly adorable, just like Makoto. It’s actually a bit comforting that no matter how much he grows up, he’ll always be the same Makoto who gives him stuffed animals on his birthday. “Thank you. She looks like that one you always play with at the cafe.”

“I thought so, too! I’m glad you noticed…”

Haru walks to his bed and sets her next to his pillow. “We’ll have to think of a name for her. Unless you have one already?”

Makoto shakes his head. Actually, since the appearance is similar to the one at the cat cafe, he thought that maybe they could share a name, too. But… well, it’s too embarrassing to suggest a name like _Rabu-Rabu_! "Well, we better leave if we don't want to be late!" Makoto says instead, his voice rising a few octaves.

It's the time of evening when the sun is almost set, and the sky's fading blues are illuminated from below with glowing soft shades of orange. Before they descend down the stairs, Makoto motions Haru over to the railing, with the sky giving a perfect backdrop for a picture. It's a lovely photo; Haru didn't even realize how much he was smiling until he saw it captured by Makoto's phone.

They continue on their way, and when they reach the bottom, Haru starts to head toward the train station; he’s not sure where exactly they’re going, but he assumes it isn’t within walking distance. He stops when he feels Makoto’s hand lightly grab his arm, and for a second he thinks he’s trying to hold hands.

That momentary elation and the flutters in his stomach are soon met with the entirely opposite reaction. Haru looks where Makoto is leading him and sees a car parked with Kisumi behind the wheel.

“Haru!” he calls out, with a stupid grin and a stupid smile.

Instead of responding, Haru looks back at Makoto. He just knows Kisumi is going to be extra annoying about the two of them dating. “What’s wrong with the train?”

Makoto laughs nervously. “It might have been crowded, right?”

Haru thinks he’d rather be tightly pressed between two businessmen while a group of foreigners yell across the train to each other, but he keeps that thought to himself. “We could have just gotten a taxi, then.”

“Haru…” Makoto gives him a small smile and takes both of his hands in his own. “Come on, he’s doing us a favor. He’s a free taxi.”

God, his hands are so warm. It’s like his entire body is being wrapped in Makoto’s warmth, just from that small touch. And that cute pleading smile… there’s no way he can say no. He sighs, somewhat exaggeratedly, and walks around to sit in the passenger’s backseat. At least this means Makoto wasn’t being gawked at by strangers on his way over.

Makoto sits behind Kisumi and puts on his seat belt. “Thanks again for driving us.”

“No problem, no problem! Ah, Haru, put on your seat belt.”

Haru reluctantly follows the instructions. “I was hoping for an easy escape.”

Kisumi laughs and starts to drive. “Hey, Makoto looks good, doesn’t he?” He looks at Haru in the rear view mirror. “I went shopping with him, you know. It was fun to watch him try on different clothes.”

He absolutely says things like that on purpose! Haru catches Kisumi’s reflection in the rear view mirror and gives him the iciest stare he can conjure.

Kisumi pipes up again. “Ah, but he was worried about which outfit looked best. He said you’d definitely like this one.”

Haru lets the tension leave his face as blood rushes up to fill his cheeks. Kisumi can be annoying, but he’s not a bad person. “I do like it. It looks nice,” Haru says, glancing over to see Makoto’s beaming face. “You look nice.”

“Hey, hey, no kissing in the taxi, ok?” Kisumi says with a laugh, completely and knowingly obliterating the rectification from mere seconds ago.

The rest of the short drive to the restaurant is, thankfully, more enjoyable. Kisumi had gotten the teasing out of his system and manages to make small talk with Makoto instead. Haru looks out the window most of the time, trying to figure out where Makoto might be taking him. The area looks familiar, but he can’t place it. They must have come here before for something.

Time passes by quickly, and Haru starts to get out of the car as soon as they’re parked. He’s actually a little eager to find out where they are.

“So, Haru,” Kisumi starts. “Who’s the better driver between Rin and me?”

Of course Kisumi wouldn’t let him leave that easily. He twitches; though his driving actually was quite good, there’s no way he’s going to give him the satisfaction of a compliment. And he’ll never admit out loud that Rin is a skilled driver, too. “It doesn’t matter. I’m the best out of the three of us.”

Kisumi laughs. “An expected answer from you. Makoto, do you agree?”

Before Makoto can give some wishy-washy answer praising the three of them, Haru interjects. “Obviously he’s going to pick his boyfriend.” It’s embarrassing to call Makoto something like his “boyfriend,” but a red face is worth it for the joy he gets seeing Kisumi caught off guard by the comment. “Thanks for the ride,” he adds curtly as he shuts the door behind him.

“Ah, thanks, Kisumi! I’ll text you when we’re done!” Makoto says before scrambling out of the car.

Haru looks around again; this area definitely feels familiar. They’re close to the sea; he can feel it, or rather he’s completely drawn to it. For a moment he almost forgets about dinner.

“Haru, it’s this way.”

He looks in Makoto’s direction and sees the restaurant behind him—MIYAKE, the sign reads.

That also sounds familiar.

 _Mackerel,_ he suddenly recalls. That’s right, his teammate had boasted about the amazing mackerel acqua pazza he had eaten here. That must be why Makoto booked this reservation. Oh, right. His teammate also mentioned about fifty times how romantic it was.

As Haru’s heartbeat accelerates, he allows Makoto to lead them through the doors into the dimly lit entrance. It’s a small room, though the tall ceilings make it feel larger. Candles glow all around them, the fake kind with flickering flames that make them look realistic. And to their left, there’s an impressive koi pond decorated with rocks, plants, and even a small waterfall. It’s a lot to take in, and Haru feels incredibly out of place.

“Wow, it’s amazing,” Makoto whispers.

Haru turns to face him, entranced by the adorable sight of him marveling at the décor. It reminds him of the first time they went to the aquarium when they were little kids. Actually, he even had a similar look on his face when they visited the one in Tokyo together just over a year ago. Haru too probably had the same small smile on his face, taking joy in Makoto’s happiness and wonderment.

“You didn’t mention they have a pond.”

“I was afraid you’d wear your swimsuit if you knew.” Makoto laughs; actually, it’s a little embarrassing that he was so focused on making the reservation that he missed something this conspicuous.

“Ah! Tachibana-san!” the women at the front desk suddenly calls out in unexpected exuberance. 

Makoto returns her wave and leads Haru over to check in.

“It’s good to see you again!" "she says. "It will just be a moment before the waiter comes to get you.” Her smile only gets wider as she moves her attention to Haru. “Oh! You must be the childhood friend, Haruka!”

“Y-yes, this is Haruka— ah, Haru.” 

Haru furrows his brow and tries to make sense of it. She must have been the one Makoto made the reservation with last week. But that doesn’t explain why she seems to know so much about them. What kinds of things did he say to this woman? His nervous laughter and bright red face mean he probably said even more.

“I hope you two are adjusting well to Tokyo. It must be so different from the small town you grew up in!” Before she can bewilder Haru any more, the waiter appears to lead the two of them to their table. “Oh! Please enjoy your meal!”

Haru feels like he’s back in Australia; this person is saying words to him, and yet he can’t find the right ones to reply. He gets the impression that she somehow knows his whole life story, and things are moving faster than he can keep up with. “ _Thank you,_ ” he replies, in English for some reason.

Well, maybe she’ll think he doesn’t speak Japanese and that’s why he stayed so quiet and seemed so thoroughly confused.

Makoto catches the look on Haru’s face and takes his hand. “Ah, sorry about that. She kept asking me questions about us and I couldn’t stop myself from answering.”

The familiar warmth calms Haru immediately, and even though his thoughts are scattered, Makoto seems to have everything under control. He smiles. “No, it’s ok. She was.. aggressively inquisitive.”

“Yes, exactly! I think if I had stayed any longer, she’d know where we live!”

Laughing, they sit down at their table and accept the menus. Haru takes it, as a nicety, for compliance, even though he already knows he’s getting the mackerel. He’s not even sure what acqua pazza is, but it must be good.

“And here is your card,” the waiter says, handing something to Makoto before stepping away.

“What’s that?” Haru asks. Whatever it is is making Makoto blush and smile.

He hands it across the table. “I didn’t have a chance to explain. It’s the restaurant’s anniversary, so it’s kind of a celebratory time.”

Haru looks down at the card and reads the words: _Makoto and Haruka, together celebrating Haruka’s birthday._ A thin border surrounds the words, with a small heart in each corner. At first he thinks it’s just a nice font, but then he notices some of the characters are written slightly differently—did they really hand write all these for every couple?

It looks really nice, and Haru starts to imagine Makoto creating a scrapbook for their memories.

“Haru…” Makoto says, his eyes on the menu. “I don’t see the mackerel thing on here.”

Haru picks it up himself and notices the prices. Did they have to hire extra staff to hand write all those anniversary cards? Is that why they’re charging so much money?! “This place is more expensive than I realized...”

Makoto looks up and smiles reassuringly. “No, it’s ok. They’re doing a two for the price of one special.”

 _It’s still too expensive,_ Haru thinks.

Makoto sighs, realizing the problem. “These menus, they’re not their normal ones. It says here on the top. I guess the mackerel isn’t included in the special… I’ll ask to make sure.”

“I’ll just pick something else.” 

“Is that really ok?” Makoto asks with apologetic eyes. That was the entire point of bringing Haru here tonight!

“It’s fine.”

“We’ll come back another time. On a normal night.”

He gives Makoto a small smile and hopes he doesn’t feel too bad about it. It’s not his fault things didn’t go quite as expected. There’s still the chocolate cake, and he knows Makoto was really looking forward to it. 

While he tries to peruse the menu, ignoring the prices as best he can, he becomes unable to focus, distracted by the other diners speaking in hushed voices. Orchestral music plays in the background, barely audible; he has to strain to hear it, which somehow makes it even more disruptive. And worse yet is the clinking and scraping of silverware on dishes. Is everyone here using cutlery?

It’s quiet but… a loud sort of quiet, deafening with its passiveness. And the air suddenly feels stifling.

Maybe he’ll let Makoto order first, and then say _same for me, thanks_ when it’s his turn. That will be easiest, even if it does mean they won’t be able to share food with each other.

Makoto glances up at Haru. He’s kind of hard to read right now as he searches for something else to order off the menu. His eyes don’t really seem to be moving, like he’s only pretending to look. More than likely, he’ll just get what Makoto wants.

_What Makoto wants._

He smiles a little, an idea forming. He tried so hard to plan the perfect evening for the two of them and felt so sure that everything would go exactly how he imagined. Because what Makoto always wants, more than anything, is for Haru to be happy. 

But this wasn’t what he was expecting, and he's not sure what to do. Being in a setting like this feels kind of restrictive, not romantic. Are the other people even having a good time? Maybe it’s not what they were expecting, either.

Haru feels Makoto’s eyes on him and looks up just in time to see him suddenly stand up across from him.

“Let’s go,” Makoto says, keeping both hands firmly on the table. Just by saying the words, a feeling of relief washes over him. Determined, he smiles hopefully at Haru.

“Go? Wha— where?”

Makoto sits down again, a little embarrassed; it wasn’t quite the heroic rescue he was going for. “I want to take you somewhere—somewhere better than this. Better for us.”

Haru still doesn’t quite understand, but Makoto looks adorable and happy, and he actually feels quite relieved at the notion of leaving. “We can’t just go. Can we?”

“We didn’t order anything yet! And as expensive as this place is, they didn’t even bring us bread!”

“But the chocolate cake.”

“It’s probably the tiniest little piece! Anniversary-sized, they’ll call it.”

Haru’s heart starts racing with a blossoming giddiness. It feels like they’re escaping from captors. It’s probably wrong—no, it definitely is! He holds up the card. “What about this?”

This is awful, right? Makoto bites his lower lip to keep from laughing. “Hm, it’s not like they can do anything with it, so we’ll just take it with us.”

“Right. Leave no evidence.”

This time, Makoto can’t hold back his laughter. He stands up again, and Haru does the same. They walk as quickly as they can without looking suspicious and manage to make it back outside without drawing attention, though Makoto swears he could hear the aggressively inquisitive hostess calling out to them.

“It’s not far from here,” Makoto says, suddenly energized. “Or did you already figure out where we are?”

Haru looks around. “I can’t place it…”

Though they weren’t inside for very long, the sun has already completed its descent. It seems like hours have passed; maybe this is an entirely different day, even.

Makoto takes Haru's hand to lead him away from the restaurant and slowly quickens his pace before breaking into a light jog, pleased when Haru matches his gait without any hesitation.

They’re twelve years old again, outside Haru’s house, that night when Haru felt completely lost and unsure about everything. Makoto had taken his hand and led him down the stairs, whisking him away to the swim club. They held hands the entire time they ran there, unable to let go of each other. And then they had swam together, completely free.

It feels like that again. His heart pounds with excitement, shedding every bit of its heaviness. Makoto too, it seems, has become lighter.

It only takes a few minutes before Makoto slows down into a walk and takes long deep breaths. Haru’s not sure if they’ve arrived at the destination, or if Makoto just needs to take a break. He inhales sharply through his nose, feeling a little out of breath himself. The sea is close; he can smell it, surely. He looks up and the stars twinkle back at him.

He really does feel like he’s in Iwatobi again, as though they ran all the way there.

“It looks a bit different at night, doesn’t it?” Makoto asks, his breathing returning to normal.

And then Haru remembers. It’s the beach where he brought Haru and Rin that day after watching the swimming competition. He can’t believe he didn’t recognize this area immediately, but they hadn’t made it back since that first time here.

They walk out closer toward the water, holding on to each other with loosely intertwining fingers. Footsteps fall quietly over bricks, their tone becoming more hollow when the path changes to wooden planks. Makoto and Haru separate their hands and sit down at the edge of the walkway, stretching their legs out over the warm soft sand.

It’s a beautiful night with clear skies, perfect for stargazing. A few other couples walk along the water, just passing by. Haru hears the occasional set of footsteps behind them, too, and he briefly wonders where they’re headed and why they decided to come here. The water moves in gentle waves, back and forth, sparkling under the stars. It’s quiet but not soundless. Soothing. Familiar. 

He can even hear Makoto open his mouth and hesitate before he speaks.

And then Makoto laughs, genuinely, with no restraint, and it's always been one of Haru's favorite sounds. It’s boisterous, though unobtrusive—a quiet kind of loud. They sit, wrapped in the tranquility of the sea and themselves, and somehow Makoto's spirited laughter complements it perfectly.

That’s not quite what Haru was expecting from Makoto, and he turns to look at him, relieved that everything seems to be ok despite the sudden change in plans tonight.

“We can’t ever go back there,” Makoto says, taking his eyes away from the sea to look at Haru.

“We should probably just avoid that street altogether.”

“Was it the worst birthday you’ve ever had?”

“I haven’t had a bad one.” It’s an easy question to answer, one that requires no thought. Its answer comes from his heart. “I mean, I’ve always had you there.”

Makoto watches the blush forming on Haru’s face and is pleased to see it accompanied by a small smile. “I’m sorry tonight didn’t go as expected. I just wanted to see you happy. Well, you do look happy right now, though.”

Haru lets his face soften even more. “Ah, I am. I don’t need some kind of elaborate date for that, though I do appreciate the effort.” _I just need you._

"I just wanted our first date to be special. I guess I was overthinking things. But... I'm happiest being myself, and I feel the most myself when I'm with you."

Haru smiles, recalling those reassuring heartfelt words he said to him so long ago. _Makoto is Makoto._ He knows the two of them must be sharing that same memory right now.

Makoto wants to return his eyes to the sea, but even though this is embarrassing, he can't take them away from Haru. Seeing him look so unabashedly happy and relaxed puts Makoto at ease, and the words are pulled easily from his heart. "I really love you, Haru." It's an effortless declaration, gentle though steadfast in its delivery. He smiles softly. "I always have. Of course, you already know that.”

Even if tonight’s sky had been obscured with clouds, Haru would still be able to see the stars glittering in Makoto’s eyes. Smiling, he leans in and seizes the opportunity to kiss him. 

_You’re all I need, Makoto. And I do need you, in ways I didn’t even realize before. ___

__He can’t believe how much he had been craving Makoto’s lips on his own. And now that that longing has been satisfied, he doesn’t want it to stop; satisfaction isn't enough. He had somehow managed to forget they were in public, but he also somehow doesn’t really care if people are watching._ _

__As soon as they part, Makoto giggles softly, surprised by Haru’s forwardness. He thought he had tonight firmly in his grasp, but maybe it’s ok that he doesn’t. Still, he can’t let it end like this. He takes a moment to look into Haru’s eyes before speaking. “I have a new birthday plan.”_ _

__“Oh?”_ _

__“First, we pretend like the date started here and forget about the restaurant.”_ _

__“We don’t have to forget about that. Well, maybe we can forget about the hostess.”_ _

__“Sure,” Makoto laughs, relieved that it wasn’t a complete disaster. “Well, we’re obviously overdressed, but... there’s a sushi place near the train station. It’s not as romantic, but you can have all the mackerel you can eat! And after that, we can take the train back to your place and have dessert at the bakery. It should be quiet since it’s late. I’ll tell Kisumi not to worry about needing a ride home.”_ _

__Haru smiles. Makoto really managed to plan the perfect date for him without having to think about it at all. “That sounds really nice. Especially the part about Kisumi.”_ _

__Makoto laughs, letting his mouth settle into a proud smile. “I’m glad. Oh, but first, I have one more gift.”_ _

__He reaches into his pocket and pulls out something small and circular that Haru can’t quite figure out until it’s passed to his own hands. Three small blue-and-purple hydrangea flowers have been encased in a thin clear plastic. It’s attached to a short gold chain with a keyring on the other end. He runs his thumb over the smooth surface._ _

__“The flowers are from your garden back home,” Makoto explains. Haru’s aunt had been taking care of the house and yard while Haru and his parents were away, and Makoto had asked her to send him some petals from the hydrangeas. “Someone in my class had something similar attached to her bag, except instead of flowers it was an anime character. So I asked her about it, and she said she could make whatever I wanted! She made me one, too.”_ _

__“Which anime character did you get?”_ _

__“Shut up,” Makoto laughs. “I have the same as you!”_ _

__“Matching keychains, hm?”_ _

__“Is it too weird? I actually had them made before we even started dating… You don’t have to use it! You can keep it at home on your desk or something.”_ _

__Haru looks at the keychain again. Besides just being thoughtful, it’s beautiful, really. When he looks at it, he thinks of both Iwatobi and Makoto, and his heart beats with unwavering happiness. He’ll definitely use it. “I’ll put our apartment keys on it.”_ _

__“Ok! I’ll do the same.” He laughs softly to himself. He was so concerned about acting mature tonight, but this gift, and the stuffed animal… well, it’s maybe a little childish, isn’t it?_ _

__“What are you laughing about?”_ _

__“It’s nothing. I’m just glad you like it. So, should we go?”_ _

__Haru looks out to the sea. It seems that everyone around them has left. It’s peaceful here, and it reminds him of home so much, he’s not ready to leave quite yet. Instead, he takes Makoto’s hand and rests his head on his shoulder. _Let’s sit here a little longer,_ he says without making a sound._ _

__Makoto smiles and gives Haru’s hand an affirmative squeeze. He follows his gaze out to the sea, and together they sit, in the quietest of quiets, just the two of them._ _

____

* * * * *

While keeping his eyes shut, Haru reaches over to turn off his phone’s alarm.

He waits, listening.

Just when he thinks that maybe he should have let the alarm ring a little longer, he hears Makoto slowly start to wake up and can feel him stir right beside him in the small bed.

And as he opens his eyes just in time to see Makoto do the same, he hears the best sound of all.

“Good morning, Haru-chan.” He yawns and blinks a few times before he’s completely awake. Honestly, it’s a little hard for him to believe he’s actually lying next to Haru, and he has to be certain the entire past week wasn't a dream.

“Did you sleep ok?”

“Mm, did you? I was afraid maybe I move around too much.”

“I didn’t notice.”

“What time is it? Can we swim, or do we have to go right to class?”

Haru closes his eyes again, trying to shut out the reminder that they both have certain unavoidable responsibilities. He wants to stay in bed like this for at least five more hours. “Let’s see…” He reluctantly opens his eyes and grabs his phone to double check the time. No, they definitely don’t have five hours before class starts. “We can probably swim for an hour or so.”

Makoto’s eyes go wide. “Oh! Or, instead… will you let me make you breakfast? After we lie here a little longer first.”

Haru smiles and moves over closer to Makoto. There wasn’t much space between them before, but now Haru’s hand rests naturally against Makoto’s chest, and their faces are dangerously close together. He never imagined himself choosing anything over swimming, but he doesn’t even need to think about his answer. “Breakfast, hm? What are you going to make?”

Makoto wasn’t expecting Haru to get so close. It’s suddenly impossible to speak, and he's not sure what to do with his arms. It’s like when they’re at the cat cafe and one of the cats lies on him while he’s in a weird position, and he has no choice but to remain absolutely still; one wrong move and the cat might just run away. Makoto absolutely wants Haru to stay like this!

“Makoto?” Haru moves back again to catch his expression. Did he fall asleep? No, he looks completely startled. Shit, he must have made him uncomfortable.

Shit! Haru moved anyway! Go back, go back!! “Sorry! What did you ask? I was just… um… well…” He sighs. There’s no need to be like this. “I was just overthinking things again.” 

His reassuring smile tells Haru that everything is ok, but before he can resume his position against Makoto, Makoto moves forward to kiss him. It starts out the same as all their prior kisses—a little unsure, but sweet and well-meaning. But Makoto feels brave, or maybe just delirious with sleepiness, and he pushes his tongue to meet Haru’s. It becomes a deep kiss, and even though neither of them have ever done this before, their passion guides them into something that feels completely natural, yet new and exciting. Haru nearly moans into the kiss when he feels Makoto’s hand at the nape of his neck pushing up into his hair.

When they separate, Haru tries to think of something meaningful to say, but his mind is filled with nonsense. If he were to speak right now, he’d probably say something like _Makoto soft, warm, exhilarating! Makoto!!_ Not quite the point he wants to get across.

Luckily, Makoto goes first. “Was that ok?”

Ok?! _SOFT WARM EXHILARATING!!_ “It was good,” Haru manages to reply, thoughts finally returning to his brain. His brain then yells at him to smile, so he does. “I’m really happy.”

Makoto chuckles at the straightforward reply. “So, I think you were asking about breakfast.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Do you have eggs?”

“Yes.”

“And toast?”

“I have bread that has yet to become toast.”

“Right,” Makoto laughs. “Ok, then I’ll make mackerel with eggs and toast.”

“You didn’t ask if I have mackerel.”

“Of course you do! ...Don’t you?”

“Of course I do.”

Makoto laughs that wonderfully loud laugh and wraps his arm around Haru, wishing they could stay like this all day. Lying here together is the most comfortable feeling in the world. "Let's rest a bit first."

"Ah, just a little while longer."

Those confusing feelings Haru once had for Makoto—the ones that he now recognizes as the want for exactly this—don’t come into his consciousness in slow waves anymore. They’re always here, ever-present, a steady stream running through his heart, a gentle waterfall over his mind, a constant moving force of love and unrelenting adoration that flows through his entire body.

As they lie there together, their voices are soon replaced with the distant buzzing of cicadas in nearby trees; the low hum of the air conditioner overhead; the gentle inhales and exhales of relaxed breathing. 

Haru doesn't think of it as just noise; it's a connection to this very moment and a reflection of his feelings. And right now, he hears happiness and joy. He hears comfort and peace. He hears calm undulations of the ocean, wind blowing through green leaves, and rain falling on hydrangeas. These are Makoto's sounds, the ones that only he can hear.

It’s quiet, and Haru listens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm incredibly embarrassed it took me so long to write this lmao i have no excuse for my procrastination except that i'm a terrible procrastinator. but thank you so much for reading! i truly appreciate every kudos and comment, here and on twitter <3 well, i guess i should get started on makoto's birthday fic now if i want to stand a chance of finishing by november...


End file.
